Shoe sole with a bladder and molds for making the sole

ABSTRACT

A shoe sole includes a body made of Polyurethane and a bladder is integrally connected to the body by molding. An inlet tube and an outlet tube are respectively connected to the bladder. The bladder, the inlet tube and the outlet tube are put in the mold assembly and the Polyurethane is ejected into the concavity to form a one-piece sole with the bladder.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe sole that includes abladder embedded in the heel portion of the sole and two tubes arerespectively connected to the bladder which inhales and exhales via thetwo tubes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A conventional sport shoe sole 10 is shown in FIG. 1 andgenerally includes a recess 11 defined in an under side thereof and abladder 12 is glued to an inside of the recess 11. The bladder 12 isconnected to an inlet tube (not shown) and an outlet tube 121 whichcommunicates with a one-way valve 121A. A plate 14 is glued to theunderside of the sole 10 so as to position the bladder 12. The one-wayvalve 121 communicates with a chamber 13 in a front of the sole 10 andat least one aperture 131 is defined through the top of the sole 10 sothat when the bladder 12 is pressed, air is expelled out from thebladder 12 and enters the chamber 13 via the one-way valve 121. The airthen blows toward the fingers of the wearer via the at least oneaperture 131 to cool the temperature of the foot of the wearer. Thebladder 12 and the plate 14 could be peeled off from the sole 10 becausethe vibration and the humidity so that the functions are reduced.

[0003] The present invention intends to provide a sole wherein thebladder is connected to the sole as one piece so that the bladder can befirmly connected with the sole and the sole can be used for a longerperiod of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a shoe sole which comprises a body made of Polyurethane and abladder with an inlet tube and an outlet tube are integrally connectedto the body by molding.

[0005] The primary object of the present invention is to provide aone-piece shoe sole that includes a bladder which includes two tubes.

[0006] The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment inaccordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view to show a conventional shoe sole;

[0008]FIG. 2 shows the steps of the molding for making the shoe sole ofthe present invention;

[0009]FIG. 3 shows the mold assembly for making the shoe sole of thepresent invention;

[0010]FIG. 4 is an exploded view to show two stop members pivotablyconnected to two sides of the second mold;

[0011]FIG. 5A shows two stop members pivotably connected to two sides ofthe second mold;

[0012]FIG. 5B shows the two tubes are positioned in the second concavityof the second mold;

[0013]FIG. 6 is an exploded view to show the bladder and the two molds;

[0014]FIG. 7 shows that Polyurethane is ejected into the concavity ofthe two molds;

[0015]FIG. 8 shows a side view of the shoe sole of the presentinvention;

[0016]FIG. 9 shows the shoe sole of the present invention is received ina shoe;

[0017]FIG. 10 is an exploded view to show the shoe including shoe soleof the present invention;

[0018]FIG. 11 is a side view to show the shoe sole of the presentinvention in the shoe;

[0019]FIG. 12A is a perspective view to show the sole of the presentinvention'

[0020]FIG. 12B shows air is expelled out from the orifices in theextension tube when the bladder is pressed;

[0021]FIG. 13 shows a flexible block is received in the bladder;

[0022]FIG. 14 shows the groove in the second mold is replaced with atube, and

[0023]FIG. 15 is a perspective view to show the shoe sole with the tubeas shown in FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 10, the steps for making the shoe sole30 of the present invention comprises step of preparing a bladder 31connected with an inlet tube 33 and an outlet tube 34; step of puttingthe bladder 31 and a fabric 32 in the mold assembly 40; step ofinjecting foaming material 35 in the mold assembly 40 to integrallyconnect the bladder and the fabric 32, and step of obtaining a shoe sole30.

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 6 and 7, the mold assembly 40includes a first mold 41 and a second mold 42 which is pivotablyconnected to the first mold 41 at an end. The first mold 41 has a firstconcavity 411 and a plurality of pins 411 A extending from an inside ofthe first concavity 411. The second mold 42 has a second concavity 421and a receiving concavity 421A is defined in an inside of the secondconcavity 421 so as to receive a bladder 31 therein. Two sets ofpositioning lugs 421 are located beside the receiving concavity 421 A soas to position an inlet tube 33 and an outlet tube 34, both of which areconnected to the bladder 31. The inlet tube 33 and the outlet tube 34are extended below the two stop members 422 which are pivotablyconnected to two sides of the second mold 42. A plurality of holes 421Care defined in the inside of the second concavity 421 and each hole 421is tapered to form an orifice 371 through the sole 30. The pins 411A onthe first mold 41 may extend through the holes 421C and the orifices 371when the two molds 41, 42 are overlapped with each other. A groove 421Dis defined in the inside of the second concavity 421 and aThermo-plastic rubber or a plastic plate is inserted in the grove 421D.

[0026] Further referring to FIGS. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12A and 12B,Polyurethane is injected in the cooperated first concavity 411 and thesecond concavity 421 and integrally connects the fabric 32, the bladder31, the inlet tube 33 and the outlet tube 34 so as to form a body 35.The body 35 is received in a shoe 50 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Apassage or an extension tube 36 is defined by the groove 421D and aplurality of apertures 361 are defined through the Thermo-plastic rubberor a plastic plate. In other words, the apertures 361 are definedthrough a top of the body 35 of the sole 30. The orifices 371 aredefined through the body 35. The holes 421C form a plurality of recesses37 defined in an under side of the body 35 and respectivelycommunicating with the orifices 371.

[0027] Each inlet tube 33 and the outlet tube 34 is connected to aone-way valve 331/341 so that when the bladder 31 is pressed, air in thebladder 31 is expelled from the one-way valve 341 and blows out from theapertures 361 so as to cool the foot of the wearer in a large area.After the pressure on the bladder 31 is released, air is sucked into thebladder 31 via the inlet tube 33 to inflate the bladder 31.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 13, a flexible block 311 made of air-permeablesponge is received in the bladder 31 and includes a plurality ofrecesses 311A defined therein. The flexible block 311 has a density of80 Kg/M3 so that it has better buffering feature.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, the groove in the second mold 42can be replaced with a longer outlet tube 34 so as to simplify thestructure of the mold assembly 40.

[0030] The bladder 31 is embedded in the body 35 of the sole 30 so thatit improves the shortcoming of the connection between the conventionalbladder and the sole.

[0031] While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordancewith the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in theart that further embodiments may be made without departing from thescope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A shoe sole comprising: a body and a bladderintegrally connected to the body by molding, an inlet tube and an outlettube respectively connected to the bladder.
 2. The shoe sole as claimedin claim 1 further comprising an extension tube formed in the body andcommunicating with the outlet, a plurality of apertures defined throughthe extension tube, the apertures defined through a top surface of thebody.
 3. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 1 further comprising aplurality of orifices defined through the body.
 4. The shoe sole asclaimed in claim 3 further comprising a plurality of recesses defined inan under side of the body and respectively communicating with theorifices.
 5. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 1 further comprising aflexible block received in the bladder.
 6. The shoe sole as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the flexible block includes a plurality of recessesdefined therein.
 7. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 5, wherein theflexible block has a density of 80 Kg/M3.
 8. A mold assembly for makinga shoe sole, comprising: a first mold having a first concavity and aplurality of pins extending from an inside of the first concavity, and asecond mold having a second concavity and a plurality of holes forreceiving the pins, a receiving concavity defined in an inside of thesecond concavity and being adapted to receive a bladder therein, twosets of positioning lugs located beside the receiving concavity andbeing adapted to position an inlet tube and an outlet tube.
 9. The moldassembly as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a groove defined inthe inside of the second concavity and being adapted to communicate withthe outlet tube.